Javier Castellanos, LC
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Christ, our King.
Thy Kingdom come!
Preparatory prayer (to put me in the presence of God)
An open and empty heart attracts your grace, Lord. An open and empty heart is what I want to offer you in this prayer. A heart open to your plan for me and to your invitation to collaborate in your vineyard. A heart empty of all that is not You, Lord, for You are my treasure and my reward; a heart empty of myself, so that I may receive the many blessings You have in store for me today. Take my heart and extend in it your Kingdom. Amen.
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 20:1-16
At that time, Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who, at dawn, went out to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them to pay them a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. He went out again at midmorning, saw some who were standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ He went out again at noon and at mid-afternoon and did the same. Finally he went out also at evening and found still others standing in the marketplace and said to them, ‘Why have you been here all day without working?’ They answered him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ And he said to them, ‘You also go into my vineyard. When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ’Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, until you reach the first. So those who had arrived at dusk came forward and received a denarius each. When it was the turn of those who came first, they thought they would receive more; but they also received a denarius each. When they received it, they began to complain to the owner, saying to him, ‘Those who came last worked only one hour, and yet you pay them the same as us, who bore the burden of the day and the heat.’ But he said to one of them, ‘Friend, I do you no injustice; did we not agree that I would pay you a denarius? So take what is yours and go. I want to give to him who came last the same as to you. Can I not do with what I want? Or will you grudge me because I am good?’ In the same way, the last shall be first, and the first last.
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
With this simple parable Jesus presents three very important lessons about the Kingdom he is establishing. In it he shows us three qualities that distinguish his Father. Three facets that explain the meaning of our work in the vineyard.
First quality: God is a landowner with an immense land. From the early hours of the morning, He went out to meet men and women so that they would join in. He does not send someone else to hire people, but He Himself takes the responsibility and is the first interested in getting a huge number of collaborators on His land. There is a lot of work to do, and those of us who have been chosen cannot sit back and do nothing. It will be a hard day and there will be hours of embarrassment, it is true; but it is well worth all the effort and to be able to help in something in this divine project!
Second quality: God does not set job requirements. He does not ask for a résumé, nor does he make previous interviews to examine our amount of knowledge or experience. He leaves the positions open so that no one remains unemployed. He calls us to this field, which is the world, without setting any conditions. The only thing he asks is the desire to work in his vineyard. I don't need to be an expert to work in the Church! I don't need to be a specialist to extend the Kingdom of justice and Christian charity in our society!
Third quality: God always pays much more than what is “fair”. For Him there are no contract limits and those “fine print” reductions. Rather, it is quite the opposite: in His mind is the goal of exceeding what the contract says. Because to fulfill a contract is justice, but what goes beyond that is mercy and love of the most authentic and divine kind.
The Kingdom we are called to build with God, then, is that of “surplus value” on a spiritual level. To give more than what is prescribed: this is charity. To give myself even to those who are not on my “first” list: this is a big heart. To give all that I am and have for the sake of a mission greater than myself: these are the horizons that open to the Kingdom of Heaven.
«Keep moving forward! Each one of us has a place, a job in the Church. Please do not forget your first vocation, your first call. Remember it! With that love with which you were called, today the Lord continues to call you. May it not diminish, may it not diminish that beauty of the amazement of the first call. Afterwards, continue to work. It is beautiful! Keep going. There is always something to do. The main thing is to pray.
(Homily of H.H. Francis, February 2, 2016).
Dialogue with Christ
This is the most important part of your prayer, prepare yourself to talk with much love with the One who loves you.
Purpose
Propose a personal one. The one that involves the most love in response to the Beloved... or, if you believe that this is what God is asking of you, live what is suggested below.
Today I'm going out to meet someone I haven't dealt with in a long time, or someone I have a hard time dealing with.
Farewell
We thank you, Lord, for all your benefits, you who live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
Christ, our King!
Thy Kingdom come!
Most prudent Virgin, Mary, Mother of the Church.
Pray for us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
